Backpacks have an inherent trade-off—the larger they are, the more they can carry. Corollary: the bigger the bag, the more it weighs. The new Quasar line from Terra Nova Equipment is both strong and light—they use the same material as yacht sails.

Terra Nova's "Ultra fabric" is a polyethylene material that provides superior strength at a faction of the weight of conventional materials like nylon. This material will be reinforced with Cordura fabric and stitched together with Dyneema thread, which is rated stronger than steel. The Quasars will be available in 30-, 45-, and 55-liter sizes and weigh between just 14 and 21 ounces.

A large part of the weight savings come from their "sack" design, lacking any sort of frame. Sure there's a sheet of foam for support and the 55-liter version comes with a single single alloy strut for added support, but that's it. There's virtually nothing besides what you stuff in them to slow you down. And unlike similar bags that easily top $1000, the Quasars won't lighten your wallet. They'll retail for $240-300 when they go on sale in February. [Gear Junkie]